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“So, what did you need me to pick up? I hope it’s not a body. They look heavy on TV shows.” I try and joke, but truly, I’m a little hesitant about this. My stepfather has some ties with the mafia. I’m not sure how deep they run or how illegal his businesses are, but I know that he’s a bad man. Graham’s hands come back to settle on my hips, and his expression turns from ruthless to serious.
“I’m having the house rekeyed. I need you to pick up the locks.”
“What? Why are you changing the locks? Are we in some kind of danger?” As I said, Graham Savage is into some shady shit, but I never ask about what he does for a living. And he never rekeyed the house before.
“No, kiddo. I’d never let that happen. But, your mom and I… it’s time to end the charade.”
My eyes flare along with my nostrils and I start to panic. She hasn’t even been gone two days, and I’d already forgotten that she would be an issue. He’s kicking her out?! What did I think we were going to do, all three of us live happily ever after under the same roof? I know she’s a deadbeat mom, but she’s my deadbeat mother, and one of the three people I have in this world, Graham included. I’m already shaking my head in protest. This can’t happen. Not yet. S
he will find a way to ruin this. And no matter how much I dream about having a life of my own, I can’t let it go down like this. She won’t be winning any mother of the year awards any time soon, but she’s still my mom.
Graham grabs my cheeks with his huge warm palms and brings my face to his, running the tip of his nose against mine.
“Look at me, Doll. I know this is fast for you, but we both know what she’s doing right now and who she’s doing it with. She can stay in the pool house for now, and that is only as a courtesy to you, so don’t push me. God knows she spends the majority of the time in there, anyway. I have a condo lined up for her to move into at the beginning of next month, and then she can do whatever the fuck she wants. We’re telling your mom about us when she comes home and I don’t want her to have access to the house after she finds out. I’m not taking chances with your safety.”
Whoa, this is a lot to process. Up until now I didn’t even know what to think about my relationship with Graham. Or my new relationship with him, to be exact. Sure, it felt like a lot more than a fling, and it didn’t make much sense that he’d risk so many things just to nail his stepdaughter, but…this seems serious. The fact that he has already planned all this out tells me that he’s been thinking about it for quite a while. My stomach flips when it finally hits me that this is real. I’m falling for my step-dad and this feels a lot like commitment.
“Graham, this is ridiculous, she’s my mom.”
“Dolly baby, she’s the same woman who sent you to score some dope when you were fifteen years old behind my back. This kind of shit is the reason I stepped in.”
“She loves me in her own way,” I protest, clearing my throat, but I know that this is useless.
“Then she sure has a unique way of fucking showing it because I know you’ve begged her for some downtime together this month and she gave zero shits the second Julio told her he was available to fuck off with her.”
“Still….” I flatten my lips, looking away from him so he doesn’t see my eyes glistening with unshed tears. “She won’t take this lying down. What if she tries to screw this up, Graham? If she can’t have you, no one can. Especially not her own daughter.”
His eyes spark with determination.
“Let her try. I fucking dare her.”
My mom is not a threat but there’s no telling how she will react to the news. Hell hath no fury like an Annabelle scorned. Part of me is glad Graham is taking the lead on this one. I don’t want to be the one to tell her, especially not on my own.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath in an attempt to calm myself down, and give a little nod.
“Promise me you’ll take care of her.”
“I promise, she’ll get a nice condo and she can move in with Julio. She’s wanted to do that for a while and I’ve already applied for my citizenship here, no point of keeping this charade going.”
“Okay.” I let out an exaggerated sigh.
“Good girl.” He kisses my temple softly and I shiver, feeling at home under his touch. Then he reaches around me to scribble something down on a notepad at his desk.
“Here’s the address for my guy. He knows you’re coming. Go straight there then come straight home,” he demands, and then gives my ass a slap as I walk away.
I look at him over my shoulder, giving him my best innocent little girl face.
“Yes, daddy.”
He sent me to the fucking Bronx.
I was too light-headed from his touch when he scribbled down the address, but once I slam the door to my hot-red Mini Cooper and look up the address on my GPS app, my heart soars and drops at the same time.
The fucking Bronx, dude? For real?
This guy who’s been doing his locks better be the best in New York otherwise I don’t really see the point.
Nevertheless, I drive all the way to NYC, cursing myself for agreeing to do this the whole way there. I spend the time thinking about what we’re about to do. Telling my mom about us. How is she going to take it? I come to the depressing conclusion I don’t know her well enough to have the slightest clue. I’m thinking back to my childhood, to even recent years, trying to pinpoint a touching moment, or just a time when I did something nice with her. Goddammit, I’m even searching my mind for one, single happy memory. But there’s none.
